Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

Five years after the Caldor Fire devastated Grizzly Flats, some families were still living in RVs on the properties where their homes once stood.

Rebuilding after a disaster is far more complicated than simply replacing a house. Insurance gaps, escalating construction costs, building requirements, limited resources, and the loss of federal individual assistance left some longtime residents unable to return to permanent homes.

El Dorado County began looking for another solution.

That effort eventually brought together county government, HomeAid Sacramento, the building industry, nonprofit organizations, and the families themselves to create an innovative pathway home.

On August 17, 2026, five years to the day after the fire swept through Grizzly Flats, the first two families received the keys to their newly completed homes.

This episode explores what happened during those five years, why traditional systems weren’t enough for some families, how an unusual public-private-nonprofit partnership emerged, and what other communities can learn from Grizzly Flats.

At its heart, this is a conversation about what it really means to rebuild home.

Amber Robbins is Executive Director of HomeAid Sacramento.

Karen Garner is Director of Planning and Building for El Dorado County and has been deeply involved in finding solutions for Grizzly Flats residents trying to rebuild.

Christopher Brown is a longtime leader in the Sacramento homebuilding industry, Principal of NEXT New Homes Group and NEXT Crafted, and one of the building-industry leaders helping bring these homes to life.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.